Private Companies (Government Holdings)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he
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will list the private sector companies in which the Government or its agencies have acquired equity holdings since October, 1964, stating in each case the current value of these holdings and the percentage of the total equity they represent in the company concerned.

Government acquisition of shareholdings in private companies since October, 1964, are given in the table below. The reports and accounts of other public bodies give information about their acquisitions.

Name of Company

Current Market Value if quoted at end January, 1970

Percentage which this holding represents of the total equity issued by the Company

£

ADDITIONAL SHAREHOLDINGS

British Sugar Corporation Limited

438,280

3.75

BP Limited

64,488,000

3.5

Compagnie Financière de Suez*

3,250,000

3.0

NEW ACQUISITIONS

Beagle Aircraft Limited

Unquoted

100.0

International Computers Limited†

9,275,000

10.49

Upper Clyde Shipbuilders Limited

Unquoted

10.9

* These additional shares were acquired as a 1 for 5 bonus issue.

† The cost of acquisition is not yet fully paid up. The balance is due 28th September, 1972.

Note: This table excludes a number of small groups of shares held mainly by Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in mixed agricultural enterprises such as agricultural co-operatives. The total nominal value of these shares is very small.